The low January sun makes long shadows and reveals the landscape's subdued color in eastern Greene County.

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For someone who really doesn't care much for cold weather, it might seem unusual that I look forward to photographing outdoors in January. But while the air may be crisp, the light and colors are dazzling.

It is a month of long shadows all day long. Dawn seems to linger until midday, when dusk then takes over. Valleys stay shadowed while hilltops are splashed with warm shafts of light.

Then there are the colors. The winter pallet is subdued and rich, earthy and comforting. The colors reveal themselves when backlit by the sun's low, long reach. Colors that are diminished by the bright greens and colorful flowers and leaves at other times of the year move forward into view.

January is a great visual month. The weather is almost always better than its reputation, and the light is magical all day.